Speaking of Venezuela

Supermarkets?

President Hugo Chavez threatened Wednesday to nationalize any privately owned supermarkets and food storage facilities caught hoarding inventories or violating price controls imposed on basic goods.

Accusing private companies of hoarding beef and other foods, Chavez warned supermarket owners and distributors that he would nationalize their facilities as soon as they gave him "an excuse."

"If they remain committed to violating the interests of the people, the constitution, the laws, I'm going to take the food storage units, corner stores, supermarkets and nationalize them," Chavez said during a televised broadcast. "So prepare yourselves!"

Chavez has been intent on nationalizing "strategic" sectors of the economy since winning re-election in December. He has moved quickly to buy out private interests in leading electricity and phone companies since the National Assembly gave him authority to enact sweeping measures by decree and accelerate the country's socialist transformation.

Wonder if Chavez can push his country to the level of lines that the Soviet Union once had. Nothing makes businesses perform like threatening their existence. What are the odds that things will actually be getting worse instead of better? I'm on the side of getting worse.

I'm surprised Venezuela isn't cutting oil to the US. They don't seem to care that they aren't providing for their people, while Hugo runs around flinging cash at anyone who will rave against the US.